Conveyor line with an adjustable railing and an actuator drive

ABSTRACT

A conveyor line for products such as bottles, cans or similar containers with at least one guide railing that is adjustable across the direction of conveyance and is operable by at least one actuator drive, whereby stops which can optionally be moved into several preset positions in the adjustment path of the guide railing or the at least one actuator drive which define various railing positions and thereby delineate the adjustment path.

This invention relates to a conveyor line for products such as bottles,cans or similar containers according to the preamble of Patent claim 1;it also relates to an actuator drive according to the preamble of Patentclaim 25.

Adjustable railings on conveyor lines for bottles or similar containersare known for adjusting the conveyor width, i.e., the spacing betweenrailings on containers of different diameters (German Patent DE 43 30702 A1, German Patent DE 697 09 943 T2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,882 B1).These railings are used to guide the containers laterally in a path andto prevent them from getting out of line across the direction ofconveyance, which can lead to blockages in congested situations. In theknown cases, adjustment of the railing is implemented by means ofpneumatic cylinders, the end positions of which can define only twodifferent positions. Furthermore, it is known that multiple pneumaticcylinders may be linked together to create more than two positions. Thesolution requires extensive assembly work, takes up a lot of space andcauses a great complexity in terms of the control technology.

The object of this invention is to provide an adjustable railing and anactuator drive for it to allow a lateral adjustment and accuratefixation of different predefinable positions with a simple structuraldesign.

This object is achieved through the characterizing features of claim 1and/or 25.

For each product shape to be processed, a preset stationary position isprovided for a stop, which can be moved either manually or by controlmeans from a readiness position into or out of a working position whichblocks the adjustment pathway of the guide railing or the actuator drivethat operates the railing. In the ideal case, each position is assignedits own stop, which is movable back and forth between the aforementionedtwo positions and can be brought into contact with an opposing stop,which follows the adjusting movement.

However, a smaller number of stops may be sufficient if they can bemoved either manually or by control means, e.g., by a manipulator, intovarious positions which determine the position of the railing. In thecase of a manual adjustment of stops, it is advantageous to provide acode which is assigned to different product shapes and indicates therespective positions, e.g., with colors or other suitable markings

The railings can be fixed in a position which corresponds to a largestand a smallest product shape by just two stops which can be handledadequately manually, regardless of the end positions of the actuatordrive used which are predetermined by the design. For other productshapes, which require positions in between these two extremes, stopsthat are operated by a control means are advantageous because then atleast three different positions of the railings can be set and changedquickly without manual intervention, in particular when a controller isused, preferably a programmable controller, for the actuator drives andthe stops which can be operated by control means. Then the format can bechanged quickly and automatically by a control command.

According to a preferred embodiment, the actuator drive for theadjustment of the railing is a linear drive. Its axis of adjustment isideally arranged to run at a right angle to the direction of conveyanceof the conveyor line so that it may at the same time as a railing mountor carrier. The preset positions for the stops are arranged instationary positions in the adjustment pathway of the linear drive orthe railings along the axis of adjustment. A direct allocation of thepositions to the linear drive, e.g., by a stop mount that determines thepositions, is particularly advantageous. It may be designed as anintegral component or as an attachment to the linear drive whoseposition in relation to the linear drive can be secured immovably.

An especially inexpensive embodiment of a linear drive is a preferablydouble action pneumatic cylinder with a cylinder element and a pistonguided so that it is coaxially displaceable therein and has a pistonrod, whereby one component of the stop mount forming the cylinderhousing is set so that it is aligned in the axial direction with thecylinder element, with an axial bore passing through the lengthenedpiston rod. The diameter of this axial bore is advantageously selectedto be greater than the outside diameter of the piston rod, forming anannular space with stops passing through it. In the area of the axialbore, there is an opposing stop which is connected to the piston rod interms of movement, preferably having a disk-shaped contour and anoutside diameter that corresponds approximately to the inside diameterof the axial bore. If the length of the axial bore corresponds at leastto the maximum adjustment pathway of the pneumatic cylinder, then theentire adjustment pathway is available for positions that are designedto accommodate stops and can be preset in advance.

These positions are preferably designed as recesses, in particularboreholes running across the adjustment path and/or the axial bore. Theymay be designed to run at a right angle from one side of the lateralsurface of the stop mount continuously to the opposite side of thelateral surface of the annular space. A nail-shaped pin, for example canbe inserted in a form-fitting manner into such a borehole as a stop bodywhich passes through the annular space and protrudes into the path oftravel of the opposing stop. Multiple bores may also be arranged in arow running along the adjustment path or may even be arranged inmultiple parallel rows, thus making it possible to implement a spacingoffset between the bore rows with positions for stops very closetogether in the axial direction. The entire circumference of the lateralsurface of the stop mount is available for this. Thus any position canbe preset at intervals of 2.5 mm, for example. By using plug elements,it is possible for all positions to be occupied in the ideal case. Thisyields the possibility of adjusting the railing positions across thedirection of conveyance to fit a variety of product sizes.

This solution allows a very compact, mechanically simple and thusinexpensive design of an actuator drive which takes up slightly morelength only in the axial direction in comparison with a conventionalpneumatic cylinder.

In addition to the boreholes mentioned above, other possible stoppositions such as notches, grooves, slots or the like may also beprovided on the body of the stationary stop mount. Likewise, all bodiessuitable for this purpose, e.g., screws, needles, disks, rings or otherelements may be used as stops.

Other advantageous embodiments are the object of the remainingsubclaims.

An exemplary embodiment is described below on the basis of the figures,which show:

FIG. 1 a vertical section through a pneumatic conveyor,

FIG. 2 a a control cylinder with a stop mount,

FIG. 2 b a vertical longitudinal section through a control cylinderaccording to FIG. 2 a with stops for defining positions,

FIG. 3 a side view of a stop mount as seen from direction X in FIG. 2 band

FIG. 4 a vertical section through a pneumatic conveyor with guiderailings that are adjustable in height.

FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through a pneumatic conveyor 1 as seenin the direction of conveyance, transporting bottles 16 on a carryingring 17 so that they are suspended, with actuator drives 2 fixing theposition of the guide railings 6 which run parallel with an intermediatespacing between them. The actuator drives 2 are each mountable in afixed position in relation to the frame with a flange plate 18 onvertical supports 5. The flange plate 18 has fastening boreholes 19 withwhich it is attached to the vertical supports 5. Elongated holes arepreferably provided in the vertical supports 5 to permit a heightadjustment of the actuator drive 2 with the guide railings 6 mounteddirectly on the supports with a variation in the bottle height.

The pneumatic conveyor 1 has essentially a closed approximately U-shapedair guidance box 3 which is supported by vertical supports (not shown indetail), and which is constantly supplied with air in an essentiallyknown manner by multiple blowers (not shown) arranged so they are offsetin the direction of conveyance. A roof-shaped nozzle channel 4 which isprovided on the underside of the air guidance box 3 has two slidingrails 15 running in parallel beneath it, gripping the supporting rings17 of the plastic bottles from underneath, the cross section of thisnozzle channel being of dimensions such that the head area of a bottle16 has room to move on all sides.

On both sides of the air guidance box 3, the vertical supports 5 atregular intervals in the direction of conveyance extend downward, withguide railings 6 that run parallel to the direction of conveyance beingsupported in a laterally adjustable manner over the actuator drives 2mentioned above. These railings 6 which are arranged in opposing pairsat the same height together with the sliding rails 15 which guide thehead area of the bottles form a guidance channel, which prevents alateral pendulum movement or swerving of the bottles 16.

The guide railings 6 are mounted across the direction of conveyance at adistance which is slightly greater than the diameter of the bottles 16to be transported: to support the guide railings 6, the actuator drives2 are mounted on the vertical supports 5 at a right angle with respectto their axis of adjustment, such that stop mounts A with presetpositions 7, 7′, 7″, etc. and stops 8 a, 8 b, 8 cwhich can be introducedinto them are provided on the outside facing away from the articles 16.The piston rod 10 of the actuator drive 2 which is designed as a linearpneumatic cylinder is aligned horizontally here.

FIG. 2 a shows a pneumatic actuator drive 2 which consists of a cylinderbody 9 and a piston rod 10 which is guided coaxially in it and has anattached piston 10′. Its end positions define a maximally availableadjustment path S which the piston rod 10 may travel (see FIG. 2 b). Thestop mount A which engages in a form-fitting manner in the cylinder body9 is mounted on one end of the cylinder body 10 by means of a centeringshoulder 12. The stop mount A is connected axially via the tensionanchor 20 to the flange plate 18 which is positioned on the opposite endof the cylinder body 9. The mounting boreholes 19 mentioned above areincorporated into the flange plate 18, serving to securely clamp theactuator drive 2 with screws on the vertical supports 5 which have slotsfor free passage of the piston rod 10 to the railings 6. The flangeplate 18 has a centered borehole which is not shown in detail here andin which the piston rod 10 is guided axially.

The stop mount 8 is preferably designed as a hexagonal profile (shown inFIG. 3). Preset positions 7, . . . , 7″″ in the form of through-holes,threaded holes or other recesses are provided on two opposing parallelfaces of the stop mount A. It is possible to introduce the presetpositions 7, etc. on all six sides of the stop mount A, e.g., in theform of rows of holes. They are, for example, designed in two parallelrows which may be arranged so they are offset with respect to oneanother by half the standard spacing to obtain a tightly graduatedposition grid.

FIG. 2 b shows a vertical longitudinal section through the actuatordrive 2 in which an axial bore 13 is visible through the stop body A.The inside diameter D of the borehole 13 is greater than the outsidediameter d of the piston rod 10. This forms an annular space 14 in theinterior of the stop mount A through which the stops 8 a, 8 b, 8 c mayextend (e.g., pins with heads). Furthermore, this figure shows the stops8 a, 8 b, 8 c in preset positions 7, etc. which can be brought to restagainst an opposing stop 11 on the piston rod 10. The opposing stop 11has two faces 11 a, 11 b which face away from one another. In this caseit is designed in the form of a washer which is secured on the pistonrod. The diameter of the plate that is bolted on is slightly smallerthan the inside diameter D of the axial bore 13 of the stop mount A. Thepreset positions, i.e., bores 7, 7′, 7″, etc. are designed continuouslyover the entire cross section of the stop mount A. In the set positionof the stops 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, they pass through the entire stop mount A.The bores thus ensure guidance of the stops 8 a, 8 b, 8 c on both ends.The precise guidance of the stops 8 a, 8 b, 8 c which are designed inthe form of pins, needles or the like, ensures a precisely adjustablepositioning of the railings 6.

The stops 8 a and 8 b which can be seen in FIG. 2 b are in the workingposition, i.e., in the traversing path of the opposing stop 11, whilethe stop 8 cassumes a position of readiness outside of the traversingpath. The stop 8 c is displaceably guided in a cylinder housing 8 c′which is screwed at a right angle into the stop mount A, formingtogether with the latter a double-acting pneumatic cylinder in aminiature design, i.e., this stop, like the actuator drive 2, can beacted upon alternately with compressed air in a known manner via acontrol means and electromagnetic valves (not shown), e.g., in aprogram-controlled process, and thereby moved in opposite directions. Inits working position, it can optionally be brought into engagement withone of the two stop faces 11 a, 11 b on the opposing stops which faceaway from one another so that with the three stops shown, a total offour different preset railing positions are already possible evenwithout changing the stops manually.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the stop mount A as seen from direction X,the stop mount being mounted on the cylinder body 9 shown in FIGS. 2 aand 2 b. An annular space 14 which is formed by an axial bore 13 in theinterior of stop mount A and piston rod 10 is also visible. This viewshows, first, the hexagonal shape of the stop mount A which has alreadybeen described and, second, the embodiment of the preset positions 7,7′, 7″, etc. designed in the form of through-holes with the entirearrangement passing through the entire body. In the retracted state thestops 8 a, 8 b, 8 c pass through the annular space 14 at a right angleto its longitudinal extent and can be brought to rest against theopposing stop 11 in this traversing movement.

FIG. 4 shows an advantageous refinement of the railing adjustment whichis illustrated in FIG. 1 and has a manual height adjustment, while theembodiment shown here permits an adjustment of the height position ofthe railing to accommodate different bottle heights in an at leastpartially automated form. The actuator drives 2 which move the guiderailings permit a horizontal adjustment across the direction ofconveyance and are each mounted on a sliding piece 21 that is guideddisplaceably axially along a vertical support 5. The sliding piece 21has an angle 22 with a leg running horizontally, the piston rod of anactuator drive 2′ being attached to the leg and aligned vertically,i.e., parallel to the longitudinal extent of the vertical support. Thisactuator drive 2′ may have the same design as the actuator drives 2shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. In FIG. 3 the stop mounts and the actualcylinders are designed in one piece to be made of a hexagonal material.If necessary, the actuator drive 2′ has a greater maximum adjustmentpath because a greater bandwidth may be necessary for an adjustment ofthe guide railings longitudinally to the axis of the bottle than for anadjustment across the axis of the bottle, i.e., the actuator drive 2′may be designed to be longer on the whole and to have more presetpositions 7, . . . , 7′″ accordingly for attaching stops. These stopsmay be designed like those in FIG. 2 b as manually adjustable pins orthe like and/or as remote-controlled stops in the form of miniaturepneumatic cylinders, magnetically operable stops or those operable bysome other form of motor drive, thus permitting an especiallyconvenient, fast and simultaneous means of performing adjustments ofboth the height and transverse positions of the guide railing 6 of acomplete conveyor system when there is a change of types of bottlesprocessed and this makes it possible to perform these adjustments from acentral location. Actuator drives 2 and 2′ as well as the remotecontrolled stops (miniature pneumatic cylinder 8 c) can be triggered inthe correct order of operation. To do so, pneumatic valves that can beoperated by hand from a central location may be provided. However, it isespecially advantageous to have a central control which is operable viaa programmable controller whose program memory contains a type selectorswitch or a switching program that can be called up for each type ofbottle to be processed such that this program need be installed onlyonce and thereafter executes a switch in type of bottle processed on afully automatic basis.

1. Conveyor line (1) for products (16) such as bottles, cans or similarcontainers, comprising at least one guide railing (6) which isadjustable across a direction of conveyance and is operable by at leastone actuator drive (2), and stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) which can optionallybe placed in one or more adjustment pathway(s) and delimit the at leastone guide railing can be arranged at several preset positions (7, 7′,7″) to define various railing positions.
 2. Conveyor line according toclaim 1, wherein at least two stops (8 a, 8 b) are provided.
 3. Conveyorline according to claim 1, wherein, the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) can bemoved into the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) by one of manually, bycontrol means, or a combination thereof.
 4. Conveyor line according toclaim 1, wherein the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) which are in preset positions(7, 7′, 7″) can be moved into the adjustment pathway(s) by one ofmanually, control means, or a combination thereof.
 5. Conveyor lineaccording to claim 1, and at least one opposing stop (11) which can bebrought into contact (8) with the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) and follows theadjusting movement is arranged on one of the guide railing (6) or theactuator drive (2).
 6. Conveyor line according to claim 5, wherein theopposing stop (11) has at least two stop faces (11 a, 11 b) facing awayfrom one another as based on the adjustment pathways.
 7. Conveyor lineaccording to claim 5, wherein the actuator drive (2) is a linear driveand the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) are assigned to the linear drive.8. Conveyor line according to claim 1, wherein the preset positions (7,7′, 7″) are designed in the form of recesses.
 9. Conveyor line accordingto claim 46, wherein the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) are designed inthe form of multiple bores in the stop mount (A) set along theadjustment pathway(s) in the axial direction.
 10. conveyor lineaccording to claim 1, wherein at least the stops (8 a, 8 b) are designedas form-fitting plug or screw elements.
 11. Conveyor line according toclaim 4, wherein the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) are designed as pneumaticcylinders that can be operated by control means.
 12. Conveyor lineaccording to claim 46, wherein one the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) can bescrewed into threaded bores (7, 7′, 7″) in the stop mount (A). 13.Conveyor line according to claim 46, wherein the stop mount (A) has anaxial bore (13) aligned with the cylinder body (9).
 14. Conveyor lineaccording to claim 13, wherein in the bore (13) is arranged coaxiallywith the piston rod (10) and the piston rod passes at least partiallythrough the bore.
 15. Conveyor line according to claim 13, wherein theinside diameter (D) of the bore (13) is greater than the outsidediameter (d) of the piston rod (10), thus forming an annular space (14).16. Conveyor line according to claim 15, wherein the bores (7, 7′, 7″)for accommodating the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) are assigned to the annularspace (14) so that the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) pass through the annularspace (14) approximately at a right angle to the longitudinal extent ofthe annular space (14) when in an engaged or working position. 17.Conveyor line according to claim 46, wherein the stop mount (A) has acentering shoulder (12) which engages in the cylinder body (9) in aform-fitting manner.
 18. Conveyor line according to claim 46, whereinthe opposing stop (11) is attached to the piston rod (10) and is guidedin the interior of the stop mount (A).
 19. Conveyor line according toclaim 46, wherein the opposing stop (11) is displaceable with the pistonrod (10) over the entire length of the adjustment path(s) in the stopmount (A).
 20. Conveyor line according to claim 1, wherein theadjustable guide railings (6) are arranged so they run opposite oneanother in pairs and parallel to the direction of conveyance with adistance between the pairs.
 21. Conveyor line according to claim 1.wherein the products (16) to be transported, have a collar (17) by meansof which they are transported suspended on two parallel sliding rails(15) which run with a distance therebetween.
 22. Conveyor line accordingto claim 21, wherein the sliding rails (15) are mounted in such a waythe products (16) are conveyed as suspended items beneath an air guidebox (3).
 23. Conveyor line according to claim 21 or 22, and a nozzlechannel (4) running in the direction of conveyance has blow nozzlesaimed at the products (16) in the direction of conveyance.
 24. Conveyorline according to claim 1, wherein the products (16) to be conveyed areconveyed standing upright on a conveyor belt.
 25. An actuator drive, foractuating and positioning adjustable guide railings on conveyor linesfor products such as bottles, cans or similar containers, comprisingmultiple stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) which can be arranged at preset positions(7, 7′, 7″) and can be moved into one or more adjustment path(s) of theactuator drive (2) and delineate the one or more adjustment path. 26.Actuator drive according to claim 25, wherein at least two stops (8 a, 8b) are provided.
 27. Actuator drive according to claim 25, wherein thestops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) can be moved into the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″)by one of manual operation or by controlled operation.
 28. Actuatordrive according to claim 25, wherein the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) can bemoved into the adjustment path(s) by one of manual operation orcontrolled actuation.
 29. Actuator drive according to claim 25, and atleast one opposing stop (11) which can be brought into contact (8) withthe stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) and which follows the adjusting movementarranged in the adjustment path(s).
 30. Actuator drive according toclaim 29, wherein the opposing stop (11) has at least two stop faces (11a, 11 b) facing away from one another, as based on the adjustment paths.31. Actuator drive according to claim 25, wherein the actuator drive isa linear drive, formed as a double-acting pneumatic cylinder having acylinder element (Z) which has a cylinder body (9) and a piston rod(10), and the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) are assigned to the pneumaticcylinder, and comprise a stop mount (A) which is attached to thecylinder element (Z) in the axial direction.
 32. Actuator driveaccording to claim 25, wherein the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) aredesigned in the form of recesses into which the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c)can be inserted in a form-fitting manner.
 33. Actuator drive accordingto claim 31, wherein at the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) are designed inthe form of multiple bores in the stop mount (A) offset in an axialdirection.
 34. Actuator drive according to claim 25, wherein the stops(8 a, 8 b, 8 c) are designed as one of form-fitting screw or plugelements.
 35. Actuator drive according to claim 25, wherein the stops (8c) are designed as pneumatic cylinders that can be operated by controlmeans.
 36. Actuator drive according to claim 31, wherein the stops (8 a,8 b, 8 c) can be screwed into threaded bores (7, 7′, 7″) in the stopmount (A).
 37. Actuator drive according to claim 31, wherein the stopmount (A) has an axial bore (13) aligned with the cylinder body (9). 38.Actuator drive according to claim 37, wherein the axial bore (13) isarranged coaxially with the piston rod (10) and with the piston rod (10)passing through the axial bore (13) at least partially.
 39. Actuatordrive according to claim 37, wherein the inside diameter (D) of theaxial bore (13) is greater than the outside diameter (d) of the pistonrod (10) and an annular space (14) is formed therebetween.
 40. Actuatordrive according to claim 39, wherein the bores (7, 7′, 7″) are assignedto the annular space (14) to accommodate the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) suchthat the stops (8 a, 8 b, 8 c) pass through the annular space (14)approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal extent thereof when inan engaged position or working position.
 41. Actuator drive according toclaim 31, wherein the stop mount (A) has a centering shoulder (12) whichengages in the cylinder head (9) in a form-fitting manner.
 42. Actuatordrive according to claim 31, and an the opposing stop (11) which isattached to the piston rod (10) and is guided in the interior of thestop mount (A).
 43. Actuator drive according to claim 42, wherein thepiston rod (10) is displaceable with the opposing stop (11) over theentire length of the stop mount (A).
 44. Conveyor line according toclaim 1, wherein the guide railing (6) is operable so that it isadjustable in height by at least one actuator drive (2′) longitudinallyto the vertical axis of the products being conveyed, with stops (8 a, 8b, 8 c) which may optionally be arranged in the adjustment path (V) atmultiple preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) and delineate said path on thevertical adjustment path (V) of the guide railing (6) or the at leastone actuator drive (2′) and thereby define various railing positions.45. Conveyor line according to claim 7, wherein the linear drive is adouble-acting pneumatic cylinder having a cylinder element (Z) which hasa cylinder body (9) and a piston rod (10).
 46. Conveyor line accordingto claim 45, wherein the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) assigned to thelinear drive comprises a stop mount (A) attached to the cylinder element(Z) of the pneumatic cylinder in the axial direction.
 47. Conveyor lineaccording to claim 8, wherein the recesses comprise bores into which thestops (8′, 8′, 8″) can be inserted in a form-fitting manner. 48.Conveyor line according to claim 9, wherein the four of the multiplebores in the stop mount (A) comprises at least two rows with anarrangement of bores offset in the axial direction of the stop mount(A).
 49. Conveyor line according to claim 10, wherein the one ofform-fitting plug or screw elements comprise pins.
 50. Conveyor lineaccording to claim 21, wherein the products to be transported arebottles having a collar (17).
 51. Conveyor line according to claim 32,wherein the recesses are formed as bores.
 52. Actuator drive accordingto claim 33, wherein the form of multiple bores comprises at least tworows with an arrangement of bores that are offset in relation to oneanother in the axial direction of the stop mount (A).
 53. Actuator driveaccording to claim 34, wherein the stops are designed as pins. 54.Conveyor line according to claim 1, wherein the actuator drive is alinear drive formed as a double-acting pneumatic cylinder having acylinder element (Z) which has a cylinder body (9) and a piston rod (10)and where the preset positions (7, 7′, 7″) are assigned to the lineardrive and formed as a stop mount (A) attached to the cylinder element(Z) of the pneumatic cylinder in the axial direction.